Cheek-distender.



E. M. GRINDLE. GHEEK DISTENDER} APPLICATION PILBDMAY 26, 1911.

1,025,265. 4 Patented May 7,1912.

r 1 Attorneys EMANUEL M. GRINDLE, or HOLTON, KANSAS.

CHEEK-DISTENDER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

AppIication filed May 26, 1911. .Serial No. 629,563.

To all whom 2'25 may concern.

Be it known that I, EMANUEL M. GRIN- DLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holton, in the county of Jackson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Oheek-Distender, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cheek distenders, the primary object of the invention being the provision of a check distender for use in dental work, whereby the cheeks of the patient may be distended, and held distended, and out of the path of the various dental tools, which are manipulated in the mouth, such for instance as the grinder, the hammer and other instrument, and thus holding the cheeks distended away from the teeth in a rigid position.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a hand tool or instrument provided with a peculiarly shaped supporting member carrying at its terminals check ongaging plates, said plates being adapted to be inserted in the mouth of the patient and engage the cheeks so as to distend them, leaving the proper space exteriorly of the teeth for the proper manipulation of dental tools, the said instrument being provided with a locking device in the handles thereof to lock the same so that the plates are held in distended or adjusted position.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the complete instrument. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the instrument consists of the two handles 1 and 2, which are provided with the pairs of lugs 3, which are pivotally connected by means of a rivet or pin 4:, a coiled spring 5 being placed upon the rivet between the lugs 3 and having its terminals engage the inner face of the re spective handles to hold the handles apart and the short jaw ends 6 thereof toward each other.

Secured to the short end 6 of each member of the handle, is a distending terminal or member 8, by means of the rivet 7. Each one of these distending terminals, consists of the short angular terminal 9, the central bail-shaped or U-shaped portion 8 having the inwardly curved arm 11, terminating in the short lug or terminal 12, which is provided with an eye for the reception of the pivoting rivet 13, whereby the plate or lug 14 of the cheek distending plate 15, is secured pivotally to the outer terminal of the distending member 8.

The cheek plates are of substantially spoon-shape, and the lower edge as at 16, is made heavy or rounded, so that it will not injure the gum of the patient, when the distender is placed in the mouth. The bowed shaped portion 10 of the distending members, it will be seen, will fit upon the exterior of the jaws of the patient, while the cheek distenders 15 are within the mouth, the abrupt angle portion of the plate at its lug 12 being adapted to engage the corners of the mouth of the patient and with it the plates 15 in contact with the interior of the checks of the wearer, properly holding the instrument in place.

In order to hold the handles 1 and 2 apart, and thereby the distending plates 15 in place, within the mouth of the patient, the toothed segmental rack or looking member, or trigger 18 is pivoted to one of the members as at 17, and has its free end projecting through the slot 19 of the other member, the coiled spring 20 having a tendency to pull the said pivoted segmental rack, so that its teeth will engage one edge of the slot 19 of the handle 2, and thereby lock the instrument in distended position. It will thus be seen that to use this instrument it is simply necessary to bring the cheek plates 15 toward each other and insert the same in the mouth of the patient. the handles being then moved together until the cheek plates 15 are in proper position or engaged with the side of the cheeks of the patient, thus distending the cheeks so that the manipulation of the dental tools can be made more easy, and the outer surface of the teeth accessible. The spring-actuated trigger or locking device will then lock the handles 1 and 2 separated and the plate 15 distended or in cheek-distending position.

It is evident that by producing the distending members 8 in the shapes as shown, that the distending plates 15 may be properly placed within the mouth of the patient, and that the handles 1 and 2 will project below the chin of the patient and therefore present a clear open mouth of the patient to the dentist, thereby permitting the easy manipulation of the various tools within the mouth of the patient and at the same time not injuring the flesh of the check or the gums of the patient.

What is claimed is 1. A cheek distender, having a pair of spring-actuated pivoted handles normally held apart, a pair of arms carried by said handles, each arm being bent to have an intermediate bowed portion to pass upon the outside of the aws of the patient, and having their outer terminals bent inwardly, and a cheek-engaging spoon pivoted to the eX- treme end of each arm and substantially at right angles to the body of the handles.

2. A cheek distender, having two pivoted distended carrying arms, and a pivotally mounted distending spoon carried by each arm.

3. A check distender, having a pair of spring extended pivoted handles, a pair of check distender carrying members connected to the respective inner terminals of said handles, each of said members being made from a single piece of metal and bent to provide a hook upon one end for attachment to the handle, an outwardly extended portion terminating in a substantially U-shaped bowed portion at right angles thereto, and terminating in an inturned arm, and a cheek engaging spoon pivotally connected to said inturned arm of each member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMANUEL M. GRINDLE.

Witnesses:

NANoY J. GODFREY, CHARLES M. SIEVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

